flexiblefullpage -
billboard - default
interstitial1 - interstitial
catfish1 - bottom
Currently Reading

New housing development rises from a historic textile mill’s ashes

Multifamily Housing

New housing development rises from a historic textile mill’s ashes

Loft Five50 will add 137 housing units to Lawrence, Mass.


By David Malone, Associate Editor | September 20, 2017
A pool table, tables, and chairs in a communal space at Loft Five50
A pool table, tables, and chairs in a communal space at Loft Five50

After a fire recently swept through a historic textile factory originally known as Malden Mills, several of the site’s buildings, built between 1879 and 1925, were destroyed. From the destruction of these buildings, a new concept for a multifamily housing development was born.

Loft Five50 will be a LEED certified 137-unit housing development that will offer studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom units. As part of the redevelopment plan, The Architectural Team, the project’s architect, worked with the National Register of Historic Places and the Massachusetts Historic Commission to restore many of the mill’s historic features. Original, restored features include a clock tower, high wooden ceilings, oversized windows, exposed brick walls, and a vintage staircase.

Loft Five50’s amenities include a 15,000-sf community room, a communal kitchen with entertainment space, Wi-Fi lounges, a fitness/yoga facility, a movie theater, an outdoor patio, and an indoor children’s play area. The living units and communal spaces all feature Nora Lighting’s NT-300 Series Single Track Lighting Systems with energy efficient Step Cylinder LED fixtures.

Ideal Design was the interior designer for the project and Keith Construction was the general contractor. Winn Development owns the project.

Related Stories

| Oct 5, 2012

2012 Reconstruction Award Silver Winner: 220 Water Street, Brooklyn, N.Y.

The recent rehabilitation of 220 Water Street transforms it from a vacant manufacturing facility to a 134-unit luxury apartment building in Brooklyn’s DUMBO neighborhood.

| Aug 1, 2012

C.W. Driver forms Driver URBAN

Driver URBAN specializes in the construction of multi-family apartments, mixed-use developments, affordable housing, student and senior housing, and hospitality projects.

| Jul 20, 2012

2012 Giants 300 Special Report

Ranking the leading firms in Architecture, Engineering, and Construction.

| Jul 19, 2012

Rental market pushing service, ‘community’

The Top 25 Giants 300 AEC firms in the Multifamily Sector keep four-legged tenants in mind.

| Jul 9, 2012

Modular Construction Delivers Model for New York Housing in Record Time

A 65-unit supportive housing facility in Brooklyn, N.Y., was completed in record time using modular construction with six stories set in just 12 days.

| Jul 9, 2012

Oakdale, Calif., Heritage Oaks Senior Apartments opens

New complex highlights senior preferences for amenities.

| Jun 1, 2012

New BD+C University Course on Insulated Metal Panels available

By completing this course, you earn 1.0 HSW/SD AIA Learning Units.

| May 31, 2012

2011 Reconstruction Awards Profile: Ka Makani Community Center

An abandoned historic structure gains a new life as the focal point of a legendary military district in Hawaii.

| May 29, 2012

Reconstruction Awards Entry Information

Download a PDF of the Entry Information at the bottom of this page.

boombox1 - default
boombox2 -
native1 -

More In Category


MFPRO+ News

Florida condo market roiled by structural safety standards law

A Florida law enacted after the Surfside condo tower collapse is causing turmoil in the condominium market. The law, which requires buildings to meet certain structural safety standards, is forcing condo associations to assess hefty fees to make repairs on older properties. In some cases, the cost per unit runs into six figures.


Mass Timber

Charlotte's new multifamily mid-rise will feature exposed mass timber

Construction recently kicked off for Oxbow, a multifamily community in Charlotte’s The Mill District. The $97.8 million project, consisting of 389 rental units and 14,300 sf of commercial space, sits on 4.3 acres that formerly housed four commercial buildings. The street-level retail is designed for boutiques, coffee shops, and other neighborhood services.


halfpage1 -

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021